Russia's victory in the Northern War (causes and consequences). Northern War Progress of hostilities

North War
	Eastern, Central Europe
	Victory of the anti-Swedish coalition
Territorial changes:	Nystadt Peace
Opponents
Ottoman Empire (1710-1713)	Zaporozhian Army (in 1700-1708 and 1709-1721)
Crimean Khanate (in 1710-1713)	Moldavia (in 1710-1713)
Rzeczpospolita (in 1705-1709)
Zaporozhian Army (in 1708-1709)
	Prussia Hanover
Commanders
	Peter I the Great
	A. D. Menshikov
Devlet II Giray
Ivan Mazepa (in 1708-1709)	Frederick IV
Kost Gordienko	Ivan Mazepa (1700-1708)
	Ivan Skoropadsky (in 1709-1721)
Strengths of the parties
Sweden - 77,000-135,000 Ottoman Empire - 100,000-200,000	Russia - 170,000 Denmark - 40,000 Poland and Saxony - 170,000
Military losses
Sweden - 175,000	Russia - 30,000 killed, 90,000 wounded and shell-shocked Denmark - 8,000 killed Poland and Saxony - 14,000-20,000

North War(1700-1721) - the war between the Russian kingdom and Sweden for dominance in the Baltic, also known as Great Northern War. Initially, Russia entered the war in a coalition with the Danish-Norwegian kingdom and Saxony - as part of the so-called Northern Union, but after the outbreak of hostilities the alliance fell apart and was restored in 1709. At different stages the war also took part: on the Russian side - England (from 1707 Great Britain), Hanover, Holland, Prussia, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth; Hannover is on the Swedish side. The war ended with the defeat of Sweden in 1721 with the signing of the Treaty of Nystadt.

Causes of the war

By 1700, Sweden was the dominant power on the Baltic Sea and one of the leading European powers. The country's territory included a significant part of the Baltic coast: the entire coast of the Gulf of Finland, the modern Baltic states, and part of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. Each of the countries of the Northern Alliance had its own motives for entering the war with Sweden.

For Russia, gaining access to the Baltic Sea was the most important foreign policy and economic task during this period. In 1617, according to the Stolbovo Peace Treaty, Russia was forced to cede to Sweden the territory from Ivangorod to Lake Ladoga and, thus, completely lost the Baltic coast. During the war of 1656-1658, part of the territory in the Baltic states was returned. Nyenskans, Noteburg and Dinaburg were captured; Riga is besieged. However, the resumption of the war with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth forced Russia to sign the Treaty of Kardis and return all conquered lands to Sweden.

Denmark was pushed into conflict with Sweden by long-standing rivalry for dominance in the Baltic Sea. In 1658, Charles X Gustav defeated the Danes during a campaign in Jutland and Zealand and seized part of the provinces in the south of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Denmark has refused to collect duties for ships passing through the Sound Strait. In addition, the two countries competed intensely for influence over Denmark's southern neighbor, the Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein.

Saxony's entry into the union was explained by the obligation of Augustus II to return Livonia to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth if he was elected king of Poland. This province fell into Swedish hands under the Treaty of Oliva in 1660.

The coalition was initially formalized by a 1699 treaty between Russia and Denmark, with Russia committing to enter the war only after peace had been concluded with the Ottoman Empire. In the fall of the same year, representatives of Augustus II joined the negotiations, concluding the Preobrazhensky Treaty with Russia.

Beginning of the war

The beginning of the war is characterized by a continuous series of Swedish victories. On February 12, 1700, Saxon troops besieged Riga, but were unsuccessful. In August of that year, the Danish king Frederick IV launched an invasion of the Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp in the south of the country. However, the troops of the 18-year-old Swedish king Charles XII unexpectedly landed near Copenhagen. Denmark was forced to conclude the Treaty of Travendal on August 7 (18) and renounce the alliance with Augustus II (the alliance with Peter was not yet known at that time, since Russia had not begun hostilities).

On August 18, Peter received news of the conclusion of the Constantinople Peace Treaty with the Turks and on August 19 (30), also not yet knowing about Denmark’s withdrawal from the war, he declared war on Sweden under the pretext of revenge for the insult shown to Tsar Peter in Riga. On August 22, he marched with troops from Moscow to Narva.

Meanwhile, Augustus II, having learned about Denmark's imminent exit from the war, lifted the siege of Riga and retreated to Courland. Charles XII transferred his troops by sea to Pernov (Pärnu), landing there on October 6 and headed towards Narva, besieged by Russian troops. On November 19 (30), 1700, the troops of Charles XII inflicted a heavy defeat on the Russians in the Battle of Narva. After this defeat, for several years in Europe, the opinion about the complete incapacity of the Russian army was established, and Charles received the nickname of the Swedish “Alexander the Great.”

The Swedish king decided not to continue active military operations against the Russian army, but to deliver the main blow to the troops of Augustus II. Historians disagree on whether this decision of the Swedish king was due to objective reasons (the inability to continue the offensive, leaving the Saxon army in the rear) or personal hostility towards Augustus and disdain for Peter’s troops.

Swedish troops invaded Polish territory and inflicted several major defeats on the Saxon army. In 1701 Warsaw was taken, in 1702 victories were won near Torun and Krakow, in 1703 - near Danzig and Poznan. And on January 14, 1704, the Sejm deposed Augustus II as king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and elected the Swedish protege Stanislav Leszczynski as the new king.

Meanwhile, there were no large-scale military operations on the Russian front. This gave Peter the opportunity to regain his strength after the defeat at Narva. Already in 1702, the Russians again switched to offensive operations.

During the campaign of 1702-1703, the entire course of the Neva, guarded by two fortresses, was in the hands of the Russians: at the source of the river - the Shlisselburg fortress (Oreshek fortress), and at the mouth - St. Petersburg, founded on May 27, 1703 (in the same place, at the confluence of the Okhta River in the Neva there was the Swedish fortress of Nyenschanz, taken by Peter I, which was later dismantled for the construction of St. Petersburg). In 1704, Russian troops captured Dorpat and Narva. The assault on the fortresses clearly demonstrated the increased skill and equipment of the Russian army.

The actions of Charles XII caused discontent in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Sandomierz Conference, which met in 1704, united supporters of Augustus II and announced the non-recognition of Stanislav Leszczynski as king.

On August 19 (30), 1704, the Narva Treaty was concluded between Russia and representatives of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth on an alliance against Sweden; according to this agreement, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth officially entered the war on the side of the Northern Union. Russia, together with Saxony, launched military operations on Polish territory.

In 1705, a victory was won over Leszczynski's troops near Warsaw. At the end of 1705, the main Russian forces under the command of Field Marshal Georg Ogilvy stopped for the winter in Grodno. Unexpectedly, in January 1706, Charles XII sent large forces in this direction. The allies expected to fight after the arrival of Saxon reinforcements. But on February 2 (13), 1706, the Swedes inflicted a crushing defeat on the Saxon army at the Battle of Fraustadt, defeating three times the enemy forces. Left without hope of reinforcements, the Russian army was forced to retreat in the direction of Kyiv. Due to the spring thaw, the Swedish army was stuck in the Pinsk swamps and the king abandoned the pursuit of Ogilvy's army.

Instead, he threw his forces into the destruction of cities and fortresses where Polish and Cossack garrisons were located. In Lyakhovichi, the Swedes locked up a detachment of Pereyaslavl Colonel Ivan Mirovich. In April 1706, by order "Zaporozhian troops of both sides of the Dnieper hetman and the glorious rank of the holy Apostle Andrew Cavalier" Ivan Mazepa sent the regiment of Semyon Neplyuev to the Lyakhovichi to rescue Mirovich, which was supposed to unite with the Mirgorod regiment of the Zaporozhye Army, Colonel Daniil Apostol.

As a result of the battle at Kletsk, the Cossack cavalry, succumbing to panic, trampled Neplyuev’s infantry. As a result, the Swedes were able to defeat the Russian-Cossack troops. On May 1, Lyakhovichi surrendered to the Swedes.

But Charles again did not follow Peter’s troops, but, having devastated Polesie, in July 1706 deployed his army against the Saxons. This time the Swedes invaded the territory of Saxony itself. On September 24 (October 5), 1706, Augustus II secretly concluded a peace agreement with Sweden. According to the agreement, he renounced the Polish throne in favor of Stanislav Leszczynski, broke the alliance with Russia and pledged to pay an indemnity for the maintenance of the Swedish army.

However, not daring to announce betrayal in the presence of the Russian army under the command of Menshikov, Augustus II was forced with his troops to participate in the battle of Kalisz on October 18 (29), 1706. The battle ended with the complete victory of the Russian army and the capture of the Swedish commander. This battle was the largest involving the Russian army since the beginning of the war. But despite the brilliant victory, Russia was left alone in the war with Sweden.

Invasion of Russia

During 1707, the Swedish army was in Saxony. During this time, Charles XII managed to make up for losses and significantly strengthen his troops. At the beginning of 1708, the Swedes moved towards Smolensk. It is generally accepted that they initially planned the main attack in the direction of Moscow. The position of the Russians was complicated by the fact that Peter I did not know the enemy’s plans and the direction of his movement.

On July 3 (14), 1708, Karl won the Battle of Golovchin over Russian troops under the command of General Repnin. This battle was the last major success of the Swedish army.

Further advance of the Swedish army slowed down. Through the efforts of Peter I, the Swedes had to move through devastated terrain, experiencing an acute shortage of provisions. By the autumn of 1708, Charles XII was forced to turn south towards Ukraine.

On September 28 (October 9), 1708, in the battle near the village of Lesnoy, the troops of Peter I defeated Levenhaupt’s corps, moving from Riga to join Charles’s main army. This was not just a victory over selected Swedish troops - for the first time a victory was won over superior enemy forces. Tsar Peter called her the mother of the Poltava Victoria. Pyotr Alekseevich personally commanded one of the two columns of the “flying” corps of the Russian army - the corvolant. Under his command were the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments, a battalion of the Astrakhan regiment and three dragoon regiments. The other column (left) was commanded by General A.D. Menshikov. The enemy corps was overtaken near the village of Lesnoy. The Swedish military leader had to take on the battle, which began with a Russian attack. Peter I, with the arrival of fresh dragoon cavalry, cut off the enemy’s road to Propoisk and intensified the pressure on the Swedes. In the evening, the battle stopped due to the onset of dusk and the onset of a blizzard, which blinded the eyes. Levengaupt had to destroy the remains of his huge convoy (most of it became Russian booty), and his corps, pursued by the Russian cavalry, managed to reach the royal camp.

The total losses of the Swedes amounted to 8.5 thousand killed and wounded, 45 officers and 700 soldiers were captured. The trophies of the Russian army were 17 guns, 44 banners and about 3 thousand carts with provisions and ammunition. General Levenhaupt was able to bring only about 6 thousand demoralized soldiers to the king.

In October 1708, it became known that Hetman Ivan Mazepa had switched to the side of Sweden, who was in correspondence with Charles XII and promised him, if he arrived in Ukraine, 50 thousand Cossack troops, food and a comfortable winter quarters. On October 28, 1708, Mazepa, at the head of a detachment of Cossacks, arrived at Charles’s headquarters.

Of the many thousands of Ukrainian Cossacks, Mazepa managed to bring only about 5 thousand people. But they soon began to flee from the camp of the Swedish army. King Charles XII did not dare to use such unreliable allies, of which there were about 2 thousand, in the battle of Poltava.

In November 1708, at the All-Ukrainian Rada in the city of Glukhov, a new hetman was elected - Starodub colonel I. S. Skoropadsky.

Although the Swedish army had suffered greatly during the cold winter of 1708–1709 (the coldest in Europe for 500 years), Charles XII was eager for a pitched battle. It happened on June 27 (July 8), 1709 near Poltava, which was besieged by the Swedes.

The Russian army had a numerical advantage in manpower and artillery. After personal reconnaissance of the area, Peter I ordered the construction of a line of six redoubts across the field, at a distance of a rifle shot from each other. Then the construction of four more began perpendicular to their front (two earthen redoubts were not completed by the start of the battle). Now, in any case, the Swedish army had to move under enemy fire during the attack. The redoubts constituted the advanced position of the Russian army, which was a new word in the history of military art and a complete surprise for the Swedes.

The redoubts housed two battalions of soldiers and grenadiers. Behind the redoubts stood 17 regiments of dragoon cavalry under the command of A.D. Menshikov. Behind them were the infantry and field artillery. At 3 o'clock in the morning there was a clash between the Russian and Swedish cavalry, and two hours later the latter was overturned. The advancing Swedish troops ran into transverse redoubts, which they did not know about, and suffered heavy losses. The Swedish infantry tried to break through the line of redoubts, but managed to capture only two of them.

The 20,000-strong Swedish army (about 10,000 more people, including the Mazeppians - Serdyuks and Cossacks - remained in the siege camp to guard it), advanced with 4 columns of infantry and 6 columns of cavalry. The plan conceived by Peter I was a success - two Swedish right-flank columns of generals Ross and Schlippenbach, when breaking through the line of redoubts, were cut off from the main forces and were destroyed by the Russians in the Poltava Forest.

At 6 o'clock in the morning, Tsar Peter I lined up the Russian army in front of the camp in two lines: infantry in the center, dragoon cavalry on the flanks. Field artillery was in the first line. 9 infantry battalions remained in the camp as a reserve. Before the decisive battle, the Russian sovereign addressed his soldiers with the words:

The Swedish army also adopted a linear battle formation and launched an attack at 9 a.m. In a fierce hand-to-hand fight, the Swedes managed to push back the Russian center, but at that moment Peter I personally led the second battalion of the Novgorod regiment into a counterattack and restored the situation. During this battle, one Swedish bullet pierced his hat, another got stuck in the saddle, and the third, hitting his chest, was flattened on his pectoral cross.

Menshikov's cavalry was the first to engage in battle with the advancing royal army on the line of redoubts. When Charles XII decided to bypass the redoubts from the north along the edge of the Budishchensky forest, he was met here again by Menshikov, who managed to transfer his cavalry here. In a fierce battle, Russian dragoons “slashed with broadswords and, having driven into the enemy line, took 14 standards and banners.”

After this, Peter I, who commanded the Russian army in the battle, ordered Menshikov to take 5 cavalry regiments and 5 infantry battalions and attack the Swedish troops, who were separated from their main forces on the battlefield. He brilliantly coped with the task: General Schlippenbach's cavalry ceased to exist, and he himself was captured.

The Russian dragoon cavalry began to go around the flanks of the royal army, and the Swedish infantry, seeing this, wavered. Then Peter I ordered a signal for a general attack. Under the onslaught of the Russians, who were advancing with bayonets, the Swedish troops fled. Charles XII tried in vain to stop his soldiers; no one listened to him. The runners were pursued all the way to the Budishchensky forest. By 11 o'clock the Battle of Poltava ended with the complete defeat of the Swedish army. The Battle of Poltava was of great importance for the establishment of Russia as a strong power. The country has forever secured access to the Baltic Sea. The European powers, which had hitherto despised Russia, now had to reckon with her and treat her as an equal.

After the defeat near Poltava, the Swedish army fled to Perevolochna, a place at the confluence of the Vorskla and the Dnieper. But it turned out to be impossible to transport the army across the Dnieper. Then Charles XII entrusted the remnants of his army to Levengaupt and, together with Mazepa, fled to Ochakov.

On June 30 (July 11), 1709, the demoralized Swedish army was surrounded by troops under the command of Menshikov and capitulated. Charles XII took refuge in the Ottoman Empire, where he tried to convince Sultan Ahmed III to start a war against Russia.

In the history of the Northern War, General Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov has the honor of accepting the surrender of the Royal Swedish Army defeated near Poltava. On the banks of the Dnieper near Perevolochna, 16,947 demoralized enemy soldiers and officers, led by General Levengaupt, surrendered to the Russian 9,000-strong detachment. The trophies of the winners were 28 guns, 127 banners and standards, and the entire royal treasury.

For his participation in the Battle of Poltava, Emperor Peter I awarded Menshikov, one of the heroes of the defeat of the Royal Swedish Army, with the rank of Field Marshal. Before this, only one B.P. Sheremetev had such a rank in the Russian army.

The Poltava victory was achieved with “little blood.” The losses of the Russian army on the battlefield amounted to only 1,345 people killed and 3,290 wounded, while the Swedes lost 9,234 people killed and 18,794 prisoners (including those captured at Perevolochna). The Royal Swedish Army, tested in campaigns across Northern Europe, ceased to exist.

Military operations in 1710-1718

After the victory at Poltava, Peter managed to restore the Northern Alliance. On October 9, 1709, a new alliance treaty with Saxony was signed in Toruń. And on October 11, a new alliance treaty was concluded with Denmark, according to which it undertook to declare war on Sweden, and Russia - to begin military operations in the Baltic states and Finland.

During the military campaign of 1710, the Russian army managed to take seven Baltic fortresses (Vyborg, Elbing, Riga, Dünamünde, Pernov, Kexholm, Revel) with little loss of life. Russia completely occupied Estonia and Livonia.

At the end of 1710, Peter received a message about the preparation of the Turkish army for war with Russia. At the beginning of 1711, he declared war on the Ottoman Empire and began the Prut campaign. The campaign ended in complete failure. Peter, by his own admission, barely escaped capture and the defeat of his army. Russia ceded Azov to Turkey, destroyed Taganrog and ships on the Black Sea. However, the Ottoman Empire did not enter the war on the side of Sweden.

In 1712, the actions of the partners in the Northern Alliance were aimed at conquering Pomerania, a Swedish possession on the southern coast of the Baltic in northern Germany. But due to disagreements among the allies, significant successes were not achieved. According to Peter I, “ the campaign was in vain».

On December 10, 1712, the Swedes under the command of Field Marshal Stenbock inflicted a major defeat on the Danish-Saxon troops at the Battle of Gadebusch. The Russian army under the command of Menshikov did not have time to come to the aid of the allies.

In 1712-1713, the creation of a fleet in the Baltic, which began immediately after the founding of St. Petersburg, noticeably intensified. Peter I not only actively builds, but also instructs his agents in London and Amsterdam (Saltykov and Prince Kurakin) to buy warships. In 1712 alone, 10 ships were acquired.

On September 18, 1713, Stetin capitulated. Menshikov concludes a peace treaty with Prussia. In exchange for neutrality and monetary compensation, Prussia receives Stetin, Pomerania is divided between Prussia and Holstein (an ally of Saxony).

In the same year, 1713, the Russians began the Finnish campaign, in which the Russian fleet began to play a major role for the first time. On May 10, after shelling from the sea, Helsingfors surrendered. Then Breg was taken without a fight. On August 28, a landing force under the command of Apraksin occupied the capital of Finland - Abo. And on July 26-27 (August 6-7), 1714, in the Battle of Gangut, the Russian fleet won its first major victory at sea. On land, Russian troops under the command of Prince Golitsyn M.M. defeated the Swedes near the river. Pyalkane (1713), and then under the village. Lappola (1714).

Expelled from the Ottoman Empire, Charles XII returned to Sweden in 1714 and focused on the war in Pomerania. Stralsund becomes the center of military operations.

On May 1, 1715, in response to the demand for the return of Stetin and other territories, Prussia declared war on Sweden. The Danish fleet wins the battle at Ferman and then at Bulka. Admiral General Wahmeister is captured, and the Danes capture 6 Swedish ships. After this, Prussia and Hanover, having captured the Swedish possessions of Bremen and Verden, conclude an alliance treaty with Denmark. On December 23, Stralsund capitulates.

In 1716, the famous campaign of the united fleets of England, Denmark, Holland and Russia took place under the command of Peter I, the purpose of which was to stop Swedish privateering in the Baltic Sea.

In the same year, 1716, Charles XII invaded Norway. On March 25, Christiania was taken, but the assault on the border fortresses of Fredrikshald and Fredriksten failed. When Charles XII was killed in 1718, the Swedes were forced to retreat. Clashes between the Danes and Swedes on the border with Norway continued until 1720.

Final period of the war (1718-1721)

In May 1718, the Åland Congress opened, designed to work out the terms of a peace treaty between Russia and Sweden. However, the Swedes delayed the negotiations in every possible way. This was facilitated by the position of other European powers: Denmark, fearing the conclusion of a separate peace between Sweden and Russia, and England, whose king George I was also the ruler of Hanover.

On November 30, 1718, Charles XII was killed during the siege of Fredrikshald. His sister, Ulrika Eleonora, ascended the Swedish throne. England's position at the Swedish court strengthened.

In July 1719, the Russian fleet under the command of Apraksin carried out landings in the Stockholm area and raids on the suburbs of the Swedish capital.

On November 9, 1719, Sweden signed a treaty of alliance with England and Hanover. Bremen and Ferden were ceded to the latter. Norris's English squadron entered the Baltic Sea with the order to destroy the Russian fleet.

Throughout 1720, the Swedes signed peace treaties with their opponents in Stockholm:

• On January 7, 1720, peace was concluded with Saxony and Poland.
• On February 1, 1720, Sweden made peace with Prussia and finally ceded its possessions in Pomerania.
• On July 14, 1720, the Swedes made peace with Denmark, which received small territories in Schleswig-Holstein, monetary indemnity and resumed collecting duties from Swedish ships for passage through the Sound Strait.

However, in 1720, the raid on the Swedish coast was repeated in the Mangden area, and on July 27, 1720, a victory was won over the Swedish fleet in the battle of Grengam.

On May 8, 1721, new peace negotiations with Russia began in Nystadt. And on August 30, the Nystad Peace Treaty was signed.

Results of the war

The Great Northern War completely changed the balance of forces in the Baltic.

Russia emerged as a great power, dominating Eastern Europe. As a result of the war, Ingria (Izhora), Karelia, Estland, Livonia (Livonia) and the southern part of Finland (up to Vyborg) were annexed, and St. Petersburg was founded. Russian influence was firmly established in Courland.

The key task of the reign of Peter I was solved - providing access to the sea and establishing maritime trade with Europe. By the end of the war, Russia had a modern, first-class army and a powerful fleet in the Baltic.

The losses from this war were very high.

Sweden lost its power and became a minor power. Not only the territories ceded to Russia were lost, but also all of Sweden's possessions on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea.

Memory of the war

• Samson (fountain, Peterhof)
• Sampsonievsky Cathedral in St. Petersburg
• In Riga, on the island of Lucavsala there is a monument to Russian soldiers who died heroically during the Northern War. Installed in 1891.
• On August 4, 2007, a holiday dedicated to the victories of the Russian fleet in the Northern War of 1700-1721 was held in Peterhof. It was called "The Day of Gangut and Grengam."
• In the museum in the village. Bogorodsky exhibits chess, the Northern War,
• A lion erected in Narva in memory of Swedish soldiers from the Northern War
• Monument of Glory in honor of the victory over the Swedes in the Battle of Poltava in 1709.

The sculptural group “Peace and Victory” (Summer Garden St. Petersburg), installed in front of the southern facade of the Summer Palace, symbolizes Russia’s victory over Sweden in the Northern War and is an allegorical image of the Peace of Nystadt.

After the Battle of Krasny Kut on February 22, 1709, when Charles XII almost died or was captured (but before the Battle of Poltava), the Swedish king for the first time agreed to discuss the possibility of peace with Peter the Great. The negotiations did not end in anything, since Karl not only did not want to give up St. Petersburg, but also demanded an indemnity. After the completion of the negotiations, the Swedish representative conveyed Karl’s personal request to the Russians: “his troops cannot provide themselves with provisions, many soldiers are sick, and the Allied Poles are asking prohibitively high prices for supplies, and therefore he would be grateful if the Russians found an opportunity to sell to Swedish foragers grain, wine and necessary medicines, as well as as much gunpowder and lead as possible, but at a reasonable, moderate price.” (!) The Russian Tsar, naturally, did not arm the enemy, but fed and gave him something to drink: he immediately sent the Swedes three free convoys of grain, a convoy of wine and “three carts of various pharmacies, ... in the name of human condolences to the sick and the Lord’s alms.”

At the end of the 17th century, Russian Tsar Peter the Great set three main foreign policy goals for himself and the country: to continue the reunification of ancient Russian lands and to open the way to the Black and Baltic seas. The Great Northern War, which is studied in history in the 8th grade, opened the way to the Baltic and contributed to the “transformation” of Russia into an empire.

Causes and main participants of the war

At the end of the 17th century, Russia faced three main foreign policy goals: the reunification of ancient Russian lands and the expansion of trade routes through the Black Sea and the Baltic. Only a war with Sweden, the most powerful power in the Baltic region, could help the Russian Tsar Peter the Great resolve the last issue - access to the Baltic Sea. Not only Russia, but also other countries - Saxony and Denmark - had territorial claims against the Swedish king. In 1699, on the initiative of the Elector of Saxony and King Augustus II of Poland, the Northern League or Northern League was formed, which united three countries - Denmark, Saxony and Russia - in the fight against the Swedish ruler Charles XII.

Rice. 1. Clash of Russian and Swedish troops in battle

The reason for the outbreak of war against Sweden was the cold reception given to Peter the Great by the Swedes during the visit of the Grand Embassy in Riga. But, as they say, if there is a reason, there will be a reason.

Beginning of hostilities

The outbreak of hostilities promised many hopes that were not destined to come true. In 1697, the Swedish throne passed to fifteen-year-old Charles XII. Sweden's longtime enemies perked up and decided to take advantage of the Swedish monarch's young age and inexperience. But their hopes were not justified.

Denmark was the first to be defeated, as a result of which it was forced to sign a peace treaty with Sweden on August 8, 1700. Soon, the Elector of Saxony Augustus II, having learned about the approach of the main forces of the Swedish king Charles XII, decided to retreat. And on November 19, 1700, in the battle of Narva, the army of Peter the Great was defeated. Thus, the Northern Union collapsed in the first year of its existence, and was revived only in 1709, when a turning point occurred during the Northern War, and the main failures and failures of Russia were far behind.

Rice. 2. Northern War map

Strategic mistake of the Swedish king

Despite his young age, Charles XII showed himself to be a talented commander: he valued the military experience passed on to him by inheritance, and chose the tactics of his ancestors - a surprise attack. Thus, he attacked the Russian troops at Narva and was right - victory was his. But here, according to historians, he made a strategic mistake: he allowed the demoralized Russian army to retreat, deciding not to finish off the “wounded beast,” and switched to a more powerful rival - the Polish-Saxon army of Augustus II.

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Peter the Great used this chance to his advantage: while the Swedes were “chasing” the Polish-Saxon army throughout Europe, he was implementing military reforms. The first fruits made themselves felt already in 1701, when the Russian fleet won a victory in the battle near Arkhangelsk. And in 1703, the city of St. Petersburg was founded on the reclaimed territory at the mouth of the Neva, and in 1704 the port city of Kronstadt was founded on the island of Kotlin and the adjacent small islands of the Gulf of Finland.

Chronological framework

The Great Northern War began in August 1700, and contrary to the allies' expectations of a quick outcome in their favor, it lasted for many years - 21 years (1700 -1721). Military operations covered vast territories. Based on where and when the major battles of the Northern War took place, the following stages are distinguished:

1. Northwestern theater of operations (1700-1708)
2. Western Theater of Operations (1701-1707)
3. Charles XII's campaign against Russia (1708-1709)
4. Northwestern and Western theaters of military operations (1710-1713)
5. Military actions in Finland (1713-1714)
6. The final period of the war (1715-1721)

Rice. 3. Russian Tsar Peter the Great

Progress of the war

The following table briefly lists the main battles of each period of the Northern War: the name of the battle, where the battle took place, the date, and its consequences.

Main fights	date	Result of the battle
Northwestern theater of operations (1700-1708)
Battle of Narva			Defeat of the Russian army
Battle near Arkhangelsk			Victory of the Russian fleet
Battle of Erestfer			Victory of the Russian army
Battle of Hummelshof			Victory of the Russian army
Capture of Noteburg			Victory of the Russian army
Capture of Nyenschantz			Victory of the Russian army
Battle at the mouth of the Neva			Victory of the Russian fleet
Battle on the Sestra River			Retreat of the Swedish army
Capture of Dorpat			Return of the “ancestral city”
Capture of Narva			Victory of the Russian army
Battle of Gemauerthof			Retreat of the Swedish army to Riga
Battle for Kotlin Island			The defeat of the Swedish fleet and landing force
Swedes' march on St. Petersburg	Autumn 1708		The Swedish army was forced to flee by sea

Western Theater of Operations (1701-1707)
Battle of Fraunstadt		Defeat of the allied army (Russian-Saxon army)
Battle of Kalisz		Victory of the Russian army led by Menshikov
Charles XII's campaign against Russia (1708-1709)
Battle of Golovchin	June 1708	Defeat of the Russian army and retreat
Battle of Dobroye		Victory of the Russian army
Battle at Raevka		Victory of the Russian army and the end of the Swedish offensive on Smolensk
Battle of Lesnaya		Victory of the Russian army (Charles XII is cut off from his bases in the Baltic states)
Destruction of Baturin		Capture of Mazepa's estate - another material and food base was lost)
Defense of Veprik	December 1708 - January 1709	Defeat of the fortress defenders
Battle of Krasny Kut		Defeat of the Swedish army (it retreated across the Vorskla River)
Liquidation of the Zaporozhye Sich	In April - May 1709	Zaporozhye Sich was burned and destroyed
Battle of Poltava		Complete defeat of the Swedish army (Charles XII fled to the Ottoman Empire)
Northwestern and Western theater of military operations (1710-1713)
Capture of Riga		Victory of Russian soldiers (The Baltic states completely came under Russian control)
Capture of Vyborg		Victory of the Russian army
Capture of Stettin	June - September 1713	Victory of the Russian army
Military actions in Finland (1713-1714)
Battle on the Pyalkan River		Retreat of the Swedish army
Battle of Lappola		Russian troops achieved control over the main part of Finland
Battle of Gangut		The first major victory of the Russian fleet (the Swedish fleet retreated, and the Russians occupied the island of Åland)
Final period of the war (1715-1721)
Ezel fight		The first victory of the Russian fleet on the high seas without the use of boarding.
Grenham fight		Victory in the naval battle of the Russian fleet (the last battle of the Northern War took place at sea)

Nystad Peace

In 1718, the Swedish king Charles XII died without waiting for the end of the war. His successors, after unsuccessful attempts to restore the former greatness of Sweden, were forced to sign the Peace of Nystad in 1721. According to this document, the following territories were forever placed at the disposal of Russia: Livonia, Estland, Ingria, part of Karelia, Vyborg. However, Peter the Great undertook to return Finland to the Swedes and pay 2 million rubles for the lands received. Thus, the main objectives of Peter the Great’s foreign policy and Russia’s goals to gain access to the Baltic Sea and return lost lands were achieved.

Important achievements of the Northern War include the emergence of a new type of armed forces for Russia - the Baltic Navy, reform of the army, and the establishment of its own metallurgical production.

What have we learned?

Today the focus is on the famous Northern War, which lasted 21 years - 1700-1721. We learned what events took place during this period: the names of the main participants - Peter the Great and Charles XII - were named, the places where the main events took place were indicated, and a map of the battles was described.

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Causes and consequences of Russia's victory in the Northern War

Historians call the Northern War the military conflict between the so-called Northern Alliance and Sweden, which lasted from 1700 to 1721 and ended in the defeat of the Swedish army. The twenty-one-year Northern War is rightfully considered one of the largest military conflicts of the eighteenth century. Let's look at the main reasons for its occurrence and the course of action.

Background and main causes of the Northern War

To begin with, it is worth noting that by the beginning of the eighteenth century, Sweden had one of the most powerful armies in Europe, representing the leading state in its western part. As soon as Charles, inexperienced due to his young age, ascended the throne of Sweden, neighboring countries (Russia, Denmark and Saxony) decide to take advantage of the moment to reduce the influence of this state. Thus, the Northern Alliance was formed, the main goal of which was to control the powerful Sweden. At the same time, each country had its own reasons for its weakening.

Saxony wanted to regain Livonia, Denmark wanted to gain dominance in the Baltic Sea, and Russia wanted to finally access ice-free seas to develop trade routes with developed and rich Europe. In addition, Peter the Great sought to obtain the territories of Ingria and Karelia.

At that time, Russia had only one port that could ensure trade with European countries - Arkhangelsk, located on the shores of the White Sea. At the same time, this trade route was extremely inconvenient, long and dangerous. Russia's access to the ice-free Baltic Sea could significantly boost the country's economy. To fully conduct the Northern War, Peter the Great even signed a peace treaty with Turkey in 1700.

Table: main causes of the Northern War

The reason for the outbreak of the Northern War

The reason for the conflict, according to the research of modern historians, was the “cold” reception of the Russian monarch in Riga during his trip to European countries. Peter took this fact as a personal insult, after which a period of hostility began between the countries.

Sweden's allies during the Northern War

During the Northern War, the Kingdom of Sweden was represented by:

• Zaporozhian Army;
• Crimean Khanate;
• Ottoman Empire;
• Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth;
• Hanover;
• United Republics;
• as well as powerful Great Britain.

Today it is known for sure that the number of Swedish troops was about one hundred and thirty thousand people. At the same time, its ally the Ottoman Empire had about two hundred thousand more people.

Allies of Russia during the Northern War

During the entire war, the Northern Alliance included:

• Moldova;
• Prussia;
• Danish-Norwegian Kingdom;
• Saxony;
• Russia, etc.

However, the number of troops of the anti-Swedish coalition prevailed over the number of enemy troops. Russia alone had one hundred and seventy thousand people in its army. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had about the same number. And Denmark had forty thousand soldiers.

Progress of hostilities

Although the final defeat of the Swedish troops was inflicted by Russia, the first move in this military conflict belonged to Saxony. The army of this country laid siege to the city of Riga, hoping to win the favor of the local aristocracy for a regime change. At the same time, Danish soldiers began their offensive in southern Sweden. Both military operations were extremely unsuccessful and as a result, Denmark was forced to sign a peace treaty with Sweden, which removed it from the Northern Alliance for nine years. Thus, the Swedish monarch managed to disable the two countries at the very beginning of the war, because as soon as Saxony learned of the defeat of the Danish troops, it lifted the siege of Riga.

In the autumn of 1700, Russian troops were involved in hostilities, advancing on Sweden and wanting to recapture Ingermanland from it. To accomplish this, it was necessary to capture the Narva fortress, but poor supplies and weather conditions led the Russian army to defeat. Having revised the strategy, Peter captured Narva four years later. For some time, Charles switched to Poland and Saxony, where he won many victories.

The next important historical course of the Northern War was the Battle of Poltava, which took place in 1709. Victory in it could have been a victory in the war, but for some reason Peter the Great gave the order to pursue the enemy only in the evening, although the battle was won in the afternoon. After this, a series of victories began for Russia (both on land and at sea). Sweden, unable to withstand the onslaught, was forced to enter into peace negotiations with the Northern Alliance and agree to its terms.

Table: main stages of the Northern War

The historical significance of Russia's victory in the Northern War

As a result of the Northern War, Russia still managed to obtain the coveted territories of Courland, Karelia and Ingria. However, the most important thing was the acquisition of a state with access to the Baltic Sea, which later became the reason for the development of the state and placed the Russian Empire on the European political arena. At the same time, long military operations ruined the country and it took a lot of effort and time to restore it to its former greatness.

Table: results of the Northern War

Video lecture: Russian victory in the Northern War.

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Northern War (1700 - 1721) - the war of Russia and its allies against Sweden for dominance in the Baltic Sea.

Back in the 16-17th centuries. Russia tried to seize access to the Baltic coast. Its main opponent in this struggle was Sweden, whose territory extended to Livonia, Finland and Estland, as well as to the former Russian possessions - the Izhora lands and Karelia.

In 1699, Peter I, Augustus II, Elector of Saxony and King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and Fredrick IV, King of Denmark, formed the Northern League; Russia intended to take away Ingria and Karelia from the Swedes, Poland - Livonia and Estland, Denmark laid claim to the Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp, allied with Sweden. The war began in the winter of 1700 with the invasion of the Danes in Holstein-Gottorp and the Polish-Saxon troops in Livonia.

However, in July 1700, the Swedish king Charles XII, relying on the support of the Anglo-Dutch fleet, landed troops on the island of Zealand, bombarded Copenhagen and forced Fredrick IV to surrender.

On August 18 (August 28, old style) August 1700, the Peace of Travendal was signed: Denmark was forced to recognize the sovereignty of Holstein-Gottorp and withdraw from the Northern League.

After the conclusion of the Peace of Constantinople with the Ottoman Empire on July 13 (23), 1700, he declared war on Sweden and besieged Narva at the end of August, but on November 19 (29), 1700, Charles XII inflicted a crushing defeat on the Russian army near Narva, despite its three-fold numerical superiority.

In the summer of 1701, Charles XII invaded the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the main forces and conquered Courland; in July 1702, the Swedes occupied Warsaw and defeated the Polish-Saxon army near Kliszow (near Krakow). Charles XII intervened in the internal political struggle in Poland and in July 1704 achieved the deposition of Augustus II by the Polish Sejm and the election of his candidate Stanislav Leszczynski to the throne. Augustus II did not recognize this decision and took refuge in Saxony. In 1705, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth entered into a military alliance with Sweden against Russia.

Taking advantage of the fact that Charles XII was “stuck,” as Peter I put it, in Poland, the Russians launched active offensive operations on the Baltic coast. At the end of 1701, Field Marshal Sheremetev defeated General Schlippenbach at Erestfer, and in July 1702 he defeated him at Gummelsgof and made a successful campaign in Livonia. In October 1702, Russian troops took Noteburg (Shlisselburg), and in April 1703 Nyenschanz at the mouth of the Neva, where St. Petersburg was founded in May; in the same year they captured Koporye and Yamburg, and in 1704 Dorpat (Tartu) and Narva: thus, the “window to Europe” was cut through.

In 1705, Peter I transferred military operations to the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth: Field Marshal Sheremetev captured Mitava and expelled the Swedes from Courland; Field Marshal Ogilvy entered Lithuania and occupied Grodno. However, at the beginning of 1706, Charles XII pushed Russian troops beyond the Neman, captured most of Volhynia and in July invaded Saxony, forcing Augustus II to the humiliating Peace of Altranstedt on September 13 (24): Augustus II renounced the Polish crown, broke the alliance with Russia, surrendered to the Swedes Krakow and other fortresses. Peter I, left without allies, offered peace to Charles XII on the terms of transferring the mouth of the Neva to Russia, but was refused.

The Battle of Poltava marked a decisive turning point in the war. The Northern League was revived: Fredrick IV violated the Treaty of Travendal, Augustus II violated the Treaty of Altransted; The Danes invaded Holstein-Gottorp, the Saxons invaded Poland. Stanislav Leszczynski took refuge in Pomerania. At the end of April 1709, the Swedish king besieged Poltava. In June, the main forces of the Russian army, led by Peter I, approached the city. In the Battle of Poltava that took place on June 27 (July 8), Charles XII suffered a crushing defeat, losing more than 9 thousand killed and 3 thousand prisoners. On June 30 (July 11), Menshikov forced the remnants of the Swedish army under the command of Levenhaupt to capitulate on the Dnieper; Charles XII managed to escape to the Ottoman Empire.

In February 1710, the Danes attempted to land in Sweden, but failed. In June 1710, Peter I took Vyborg, in July Riga, in September - Revel (Tallinn), establishing full control over Estland, Livonia and Western Karelia.

In the fall of 1710, Charles XII, with the support of France, convinced the Turkish Sultan Ahmet III to declare war on Russia.

On June 12 (23), 1711, Peter I was forced to conclude the difficult Treaty of Prut with the Ottoman Empire, pledging to return Azov to it, demolish all the fortresses he had built on the Sea of ​​Azov and break the alliance with Poland.

In 1712-1714, Russia's allies, with its support, won a number of victories in the European theater of military operations. In 1713-1714, Russia occupied part of the territory of Finland; in August 1714, the Russian galley fleet defeated the Swedish fleet at Cape Gangut and moved to Abo. In July 1717, troops landed on the island of Gotland, and on land the Russian army reached Luleå. In August 1717, Russia transferred military operations to the territory of Sweden, whose human and financial resources were depleted.

In 1718, Peter I began negotiations with Charles XII (Aland Congress), which, however, were interrupted after the death of the king during the siege of the Norwegian fortress Fredriksgald in December 1718. Karl's sister Ulrika-Eleanor, who ascended the throne, and the party that supported her began to seek agreement with Russia's Western allies. In 1719, Sweden entered into an alliance with Hanover, ceding Bremen and Ferden to it, in 1720 - with Prussia, selling it Stettin and the mouth of the Oder, with Denmark, pledging to pay a duty for the passage of ships through the Sound Strait and not to provide support to the Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp, and also with England.

However, the Swedes failed to achieve a turning point in the war with Peter I. Russian troops periodically landed on the Swedish coast. In 1719, the Swedish fleet was defeated off the island of Ezel (Saaremaa), and on July 27 (August 7), 1720, off the island of Grengam; the English squadron's attempt to intervene in the course of hostilities ended in failure. In 1721, a Russian detachment landed in the Stockholm area, which forced the British to leave the Baltic.

After five months of negotiations in the city of Nystadt (Uusikaupunki) in Finland, on August 30 (September 10), 1721, a peace treaty was signed, according to which Sweden ceded the Baltic states and southwestern Karelia to Russia, retaining Finland. As a result, Sweden lost its possessions on the eastern shore of the Baltic and a significant part of its possessions in Germany, retaining only part of Pomerania and the island of Rügen.

As a result of the Northern War, Russia gained access to the Baltic Sea, solving one of its main historical problems, while Sweden

The table contains the causes, main stages, events, dates and results of Russia's Northern War in 1700 - 1721.

Table of the Northern War 1700 - 1721, its causes, stages, events and results

Causes of the Northern War
1. The need for Russia to gain access to Europe through the Baltic Sea and the Baltic territories, the return of the coast of the Gulf of Finland. 2. The presence of allies in the war with Sweden (Denmark, Saxony and Poland).
Main stages of the Northern War 1700 - 1721
"Danish" (1700-1701)	Sweden's attack on Denmark and its withdrawal from the war and the Northern Alliance (Treaty of Travendal). Defeat of the Russian army near Narva (November 1700)
"Polish" (1701 - 1706)	Swedish military actions in Europe in Saxony and Poland. Successes of Russian troops in the Baltic states: Capture of the Nyenschanz fortress in 1703 Capture of fortresses: Oreshek (Shlisselburg, renamed Noteburg) - 1702, Narva - 1704, Tartu - 1704. 1706 - Defeat of the Saxon Elector Augustus II, renunciation of the Polish crown and withdrawal from the Northern Alliance (Peace of Altranstadt).
"Russian" (1707-1709)	1707 - Signing of a secret agreement between Charles XII and the Ukrainian hetman Mazepa I.S. (transition of Ukraine to the Swedes) Fighting in Russia after the second invasion of the Swedish army in 1708. Victories of the Russian army: At the village Lesnaya - September 1708 (defeat of Levenhaupt's Swedish corps) 1709 - Restoration of the northern alliance (agreement on the alliance of Russia and Saxony, Russia and Denmark, Russia and Prussia). Flight of the remnants of the Swedish army led by King Charles XII to Turkish possessions.
"Turkish" (1709-1714)	Resumption of hostilities in the Baltic states. Capture of Riga, Vyborg and Revel by Russian troops - 1710 1710 - The Ottoman Empire officially declared war on Russia. Prut campaign of the Russian army led by Peter 1 - 1710-1711. Defeat of Russia. Transfer of military operations to the territory of Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea
"Norwegian-Swedish" (1714-1721)	1713 - invasion of the Russian army into Finland. Victories of the Russian fleet at sea: At Cape Gangut - 1714 (Aland Islands captured) Off the island of Grengam - 1720 (dominance of the Russian fleet in the Baltic Sea) 1717 - Treaty of Amsterdam (alliance between Russia, France, Prussia).
Results of the Northern War
Basic conditions: Russia received the Baltic territories (Livonia, Estland, Ingermanland, Ingria), part of Karelia with Vyborg and access to the Baltic Sea. Russia was obliged to pay Sweden monetary compensation (about 1,500,000 rubles) for the lost territories and return Finland. 2. Sweden has forever lost its status as a great military and naval power in Europe. 3. On October 22, 1721, Peter 1 took the title of emperor after his victory in the Northern War. Russia became an empire. Its prestige in the world has increased enormously, and its role in European politics has sharply increased.

Map of military operations of the Northern War 1700 - 1721.

____________

A source of information:

1. History in tables and diagrams./ Edition 2, - St. Petersburg: 2013.

2. History of Russia in tables: 6-11th grade. / P.A. Baranov. - M.: 2011.